New and Noted: Motorcycle Gear

This week we’re looking at Shoei’s entrance into the retro open face market, a jacket and pants crafted from waxed cotton, and a blueprint for building the perfect custom motorcycle. Your monthly budget was doing fine…until now.

Shoei J•O Helmet Not many open face helmets tap into today’s tech—but Shoei’s new J•O helmet does. The shell cuts a classic silhouette with a tiny ‘duck tail’ at the back, but uses Shoei’s ‘AIM’ construction: multiple layers of fibers that create a strong yet light helmet.

There are three shell sizes to avoid that ‘bobble-head’ look, but the real stand-out feature is the drop-down visor. It slides out from within the shell, and stops at three different positions to suit a wide range of faces. It’s operated by a simple tab on either side of the visor, so it’s pretty discreet when tucked away.

The visor is also swappable—choose from clear, smoke or yellow tints—and the helmet’s finished off with a classy goggle strap at the back. Take your pick from several solid colors and graphic designs, starting at £259/$375. [Buy]

Richa Scrambler Jacket The ‘Mojave’ style of riding jacket—immortalized by one Harvey Mushman—has become a universal icon of desert racing cool. Now Belgium-based Richa have thrown their hat in the ring, with the Scrambler waxed cotton jacket.

Richa is known for high quality gear that doesn’t break the bank, and the Scrambler jacket continues the trend. For $205 you get a British Millerain waxed cotton shell, with a waterproof and breathable lining, and a removable quilted thermal lining. Plus it’s equipped with D30 armor at the shoulders, elbows and back.

All the right styling cues are there: from the quilted panels to the collar strap. There are adjustment tabs for the sleeves, cuffs and waist, and it’s available in any color you want—as long as it’s black. [Buy]

Red Clouds Collective GN.01 Work Pants Need some waxed canvas pants to go with your waxed canvas jacket? Red Clouds Collective has you covered. They’re a Portland company, with a catalog of handcrafted goods ranging from apparel, to backpacks and smaller leather accessories.

Their GN.01 work pants caught our eye. Made from 10.10oz waxed canvas for durability and water resistance, the $299 GN.01s are built with triple stitched seams, a reinforced inseam and rivets at stress points.

The aesthetic is a slightly more fitted version of classic work pants, with no less than eight pockets for stashing everything from your wallet to your pocketknife. We’ve pictured the ‘brush brown’ color here, but you can also get ’em in ‘Havana’ brown, olive and black. [Buy]

Malle Douglas Tool Roll Remember when bikes came with tool kits? These days, it seems the best you get is a sticker with your marque’s ‘on call’ number on it. If you don’t have that luxury (or you ride an old bike that needs wrenching on the go), you may as well carry your tools in style.

We’re digging the $140 Douglas tool roll from Malle of London. In true Malle fashion it’s a fine looking piece of kit, with an oiled canvas interior and a bridle leather exterior. The layout is compact and simple—with six tool pockets, and a pouch for stashing odds and ends. The hardware is solid brass, and the straps can be used to attach it to your bike. Plus it’s laid out in such a way that you can open it while still attached…neat. [Buy]

The Build Ogling motorcycles is a wonderful pastime, but with ‘The Build,’ author Robert Hoekman Jr provides more than just eye candy. He’s worked with celebrated builders like John Ryland (Classified Moto), Max Hazan (Hazan Motorworks) and Alan Stulberg (Revival Cycles) to put together the definitive blueprint for designing custom motorcycles.

The 192-page book is crammed with insight into the builders’ processes, theories, philosophies and shop secrets. Topics range from basic design principles to tips on finding the perfect donor bike—alongside 150 stunning photos.

‘The Build’ is available from Octane Press, publisher of the Bike EXIF calendar, for $45. [Buy]